April 22nd is Earth Day, each and every year. But unlike traditional holidays, (Christmas, Passover, etc.) Earth Day seems to have a different vibe each year. One year will be about everyone needs to replace their incandescent lightbulbs with fluorescent bulbs and plant a tree, and the next year will focus on drinking from reusable water bottles instead of plastic.
I like to think that April 22nd is like any other day of the year. Choosing used over new, fixing instead of replacing, spending my money with local businesses instead of corporate big box and generally keeping my life pretty simple.
But I started to think about how my obsession with choosing used over new is my passion/focus/platform. And by having a single area that guides my writing, I can spread my message and influence others to make similar choices. (This sentence makes me sound like a cult leader, which I can assure you is only 49% true.) Yes, I also try to minimize my family’s creation of garbage, plastic usage, food waste and spending, but using it up, wearing it out, making it do and doing without is always my number one priority.
But that’s okay. I don’t have to be everyone to everybody. There are others who’ve found their passions/focus/platforms and they do a damned fine job of it. They’ve found their message, and by focusing on that single area, they’re able to coherently reach out to the world earth:
- Jonathan Bloom, Wasted Food.
- Beth Terry, My Plastic Free Project.
- Colin Beavan, No Impact Man.
- Bea Johnson, Zero Waste Home.
- Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project.
I probably should write a top one hundred ways to celebrate Earth Day list with a super cute info-graphic in an attempt to go viral. but my message is too simple:
- Choose used over new.
- Mend and fix instead of replace.
- Find joy in the simple stuff.
- Never ever view a non-consumer life as a limitation. Instead choose to see the freedom that comes when you step back from The Joneses and recognize the beauty in a perfectly darned sock.
A top four list. Complete without graphics.
Happy Earth Day 2014!
Katy Wolk-Stanley
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I used up the pixels on this post, before clicking to a different page. Just keeping you informed.
Silly.
I decided for Earth Day to deactivate my Facebook and Twitter accounts. Sure it doesn’t do anything for the earth but it free’s up time for more inspiring pursuits.
I decided that anything that comes through a window is not food, so I am cooking at home and enjoying it!
That is a great idea.mind if I borrow it?
I’ve been enjoying a precious few days off from my day job by (1) getting my veggie-and-herb garden under way; (2) visiting a new-to-us junque shop with DH, and refraining from buying half the store the way we would have a few years ago (although several purchases were indeed made); and (3) constructing a “new” dishcloth from a too-rough-to-wear linen shirt (I like real linen for dishcloths) and the last of a spool of thread I bought 40 years ago. (Welcome to the Ladies’ Sewing Circle and Historical Society!)
You gave me a chuckle because I set my darnding down to read your blog.
Did I ever tell you you’re my hero…….
Such a flawed hero. 😉
And that’s what it’s really about- the everyday stuff. Not the one day hype.
The 49% thing made me laugh. You’re awesome.
Thanks. 😀